DUSHANBE, August 19, 2013, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan has reportedly increased liquefied gas imports.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Industry (MoEI), Tajikistan has imported 101,194 tons of liquefied gas over the first seven months of this year, which was 67,000 tons more than in the same period last year.

“Compared to 2012 monthly liquefied gas sales have tripled this year,” said an official source at a MoEI.  “In 2012, average monthly liquefied gas sales amounted to 5,000 tons while this year they have increased to 15,000 tons.”

The percentage of the country’s transportation using liquefied gas has increased from 40 percent in 2012 to more than 50 percent due to high gasoline prices, the source added.

Meanwhile, the monthly report for August 2013, Monitoring and Early Warning in Tajikistan , notes that in July imports of liquefied gas totaled 20,497 tons, which is 8,580 tons more compared to June, 2013.

According to data of the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, an average price of one ton of liquefied gas imported to the country over the first seven months was 586.00 USD, 111.00 USD fewer than in the same period last year.  Current average price of one liter of liquefied gas in Dushanbe is 3.00 somoni.

The whole volume of liquefied gas have been imported to Tajikistan from Kazakhstan.

Tajikistan reportedly imports liquefied gas by road tankers and rail cars.